Our sages of Blessed memory have said ”The Shabot is equal in importance to all the other commandments”, ”observing the Shabot properly is equivalent to observing the whole Torah”. Looking closely at this weeks parsha we may see a bit of illumination concerning this concept.

It says ”The children of Israel shall keep the Shabot through out their generations” and other words giving us the Shabot and then immediately ”And he gave to Moses, when he finished talking with him upon Mount Sinai, two tablets of Testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God” (exodus 31). May we all be able to commune with God on the Holy Shabot and be granted our portion in the Torah. The Torah was given on Shabot which was the Holiday of Shavout.

Like all parts of the Torah here also we can see ways to strengthen our attachment to our Creator, may His Name be blessed. Let us look to before Moses came down from Mount Sinai with his face shinning to great to behold. When they put a vail on him to shield his brilliance from sight. Just before Moses came down God told him ”You shall not offer leaven with your sacrifice” (exodus 34). Our sages tell up leaven represents arrogance, pride and self love. How can one truly serve God will all their heart when they believe their thoughts and desires are most important. There is no room for this self love in sacrifices or fulfilling Mitvot (Biblical commandments), for heaven forbid this self love may get in the way from fulfilling a precept with the greatest expression of the love of God. By nullifying ourselves to become a vessel for Supernal will, the way of God we can as alluded to by the commandment of giving the first born to God. Which is also given in this section. Realize that God comes first, no matter what. We should serve God above all with our time, our selves our money all that we have as King David said, peace unto him ”The Torah of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver.” (Psalm 119). We are told here not to leave any of the Passover offering till the morning. We know that sacrificial meat held past the allotted time for eating is ”piggul” (forbidden), and cannot be eaten by us. God tells us in his Torah ”My offering, my food to be consumed by my fire”. As part of the sacrifices we are able to have as food, if one ate it in the allotted time. So from ”My offering, my food” we can see the the service of God in some way is food to God. This is also as the verse in Psalms ”Give strength to God” (psalm 68). We should not delay in bringing this to him, before it is “piggul”, too late. What could possibly be more important than doing the will of the God. We should run to do His commandments. There is nothing else. May it be that by not offering sacrifice or Divine service with leaven, being barriers of self love of one’s own ego, we can bring God the first born. Bring everything to Him. As God comes first and we will not delay in his service, allowing the offering to become “piggul”, but we will run to fulfill His commandments and do them in a very beautiful way that leads to true piety like is talked about in path of the Just by the Ramcha”l. One must have zeal as this will bring Holiness which will bring prophesy and this brings Eliyahu.1 Those who while in this world strengthen themselves with the having bold zeal in things of Holiness. When they fall in this world they quickly work to rise to a higher level. Then we will see the verse fulfilled ”I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among you shall see the work of the Lord; for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.” (Exodus 34) With our Righteous Messiah quickly in our days.